Storytelling

Week 6 Lecture Notes

Whereas a user persona acts as a tool to guide the development process while reaffirming the direction of design decisions, a user scenario exists as a means of describing the behaviours of one’s audience while helping to highlight potential design issues. The user scenario is a written document outlining the interactions and usage of the intended product by an existing persona within a hypothetical situation.

Through the conducting of research into a targeted audience with the aim of understanding their needs, goals and behaviours, a designer is able to take the user personas produced from these traits and implant them within a narrative. This fictional story tells of the process taken by this person to utilise and manipulate the product within the context of their motives, character and prospects.

With different needs, wants, expectations, methods and approaches, each archetype will utilise an interactive differently.

By utilising the application through the eyes of their audience, the designer gains the insight to recognise flaws and failings of the product that only arise when uniquely approached from that character’s mindset. As the user persona already exists as a reflection of their wider audience, the problems that arise from this process are, in turn, representative of design issues that could be faced on a much larger scale.

Final thoughts

In conjunction with a user persona, the user scenario is an invaluable tool when creating an interactive in that it presents the designer with an early look into how their application will be utilised within a real-world situation while simultaneously ensuring that the design maintains a consistent awareness of its intended context throughout development. With an insight into the workings of their audience, the designer is able to better cater and adapt their product to the end-user by offering improved functionality and usability specific to their needs and the circumstances in which they may utilise the interactive within.